Aema star Bang Hyo-rin said there was no burden regarding her exposure scenes and that she endured 10 years of obscurity by working various part-time jobs.
On the morning of the 27th, an interview with Bang Hyo-rin, the lead actress of the Netflix series Aema, was held at a cafe in Jongno, Seoul.
Aema portrays the story of top star Hee-ran (played by Lee Ha-neul) and rookie actress Joo-ae (played by Bang Hyo-rin) who bravely confronts the dark realities hidden behind the glamorous spotlight of the 1980s Korean film industry. It captures both the bright and dark aspects of Chungmuro in the 1980s, providing a thrilling experience of resistance against the times in their own ways. This is the first series directed by Lee Hae-Young, who has captivated the public with continuously new stories and characters, and a unique style with works such as The Drug King, The Ghost, and Madonna.
Bang Hyo-rin played the role of Joo-ae, who is suddenly cast as the lead in the highly talked-about film Aema after supporting herself as a nightclub dancer while aspiring to be an actress. She collaborated closely with her senior Lee Ha-neul.
Having debuted in 2015 with the short film Let Me In, Bang Hyo-rin has showcased impressive performances in various short works, including To Lowell (2017) and It Might Cloud (2020). She won the acting award in the Korean short competition at the 11th Seoul International Pride Film Festival with the 2021 film How Do I Kill Him? She later portrayed a school violence victim, Hwang Seon-woo, in the feature independent film Hell, and took her first leading role in a commercial series with Aema.
Bang Hyo-rin revealed, "I initially applied knowing there would be exposure scenes, and the announcement indicated that. Since the title is Aema, I thought of Aema Woman and wondered if they were shooting something related to Aema Woman. I also thought, 'Could it be about cars?' (laughs) I imagined many different scenarios."
She said there was no pressure regarding exposure scenes, noting, "I didn't think about how it might be a sequel to Aema Woman. I was just very curious about the work and focused only on that," adding, "After the work was released, I didn't worry or think about any incidents (like clips from the video circulating)."
She continued, "I gained weight for the character. The director suggested I put on more weight. I was much thinner than I am now, but the director wanted me to gain weight in my arms and other areas. He suggested I bulk up overall, so I went to the gym every day and ate a lot. The most effective thing was rice. I really focused on eating well."
Bang Hyo-rin, who has spent nearly 10 years in obscurity since her debut, responded, "I did a lot of part-time jobs to make a living during that time. I worked at a lot of different places, including as a drama teacher, in cafes, ice cream shops, bakeries, clothing stores, and department stores to get by."
In response to the comment, "I think your parents would have been very happy when your leading project Aema came out," she added, "They were very happy. They didn't say it directly, but you could tell they were so pleased. They liked the role as well, saying it was such a wonderful character."
Meanwhile, Aema was released on Netflix on the 22nd, reaching over 190 countries.
[Photo] Provided by Netflix
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